Fun & Fancy Free (1947)

67% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
61% of users liked it
(8,612 ratings)

A blend of live-action and animation, Fun and Fancy Free is comprised of two distinct tales linked by additional footage featuring Jiminy Cricket. Disney had been planning to use each story for separate feature films but the involvement of the United States in WWII disrupted his plans and the… More A blend of live-action and animation, Fun and Fancy Free is comprised of two distinct tales linked by additional footage featuring Jiminy Cricket. Disney had been planning to use each story for separate feature films but the involvement of the United States in WWII disrupted his plans and the stories were shelved until after the war. The first is a musical story based on a children's story by Sinclair Lewis and is narrated by Dinah Shore, who also sings. It is the tale of a sad little circus bear named Bongo who is adored when performing but ignored after the show. Tired of travelling and being mistreated, he escapes into the forest where he discovers that life in the wilderness is not as free and easy as he thought. Despite the obstacles awaiting him, Bongo manages to find the thing he most longed for -- true love. By contemporary standards, the story is almost 'unbearably' sweet, but it should be remembered that such candy-coated fluff as "Bongo" was the remedy war-weary audiences needed to lift their spirits. The second tale is more zesty thanks to the peppery repartee between ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his two dummies Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Together the three tell would-be Disney child star Luana Patton, a story based on "Jack and the Beanstalk" featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy, who climb a magic beanstalk and try to retrieve a stolen singing harp to restore wealth to their impoverished kingdom. In 1997, to commemorate the film's 50th anniversary, it was released on video tape in a restored version (the executive producers in charge of restoration were Phil Savenkic and Harry Arends) that has brought the colorful animated sequences back to their original depth and vibrance. This video version also contains a brief but informative documentary hosted by noted film historian Leonard Maltin and narrated by Corey Burton at the end that gives the fascinating history of the films. It also contains rare footage of the making of the films and a priceless segment in which Walt Disney performs as Mickey Mouse. "Mickey and the Beanstalk" was the last time Disney provided his voice. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: G, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Bill Roberts, Hamilton Luske
Genres: Action & Adventure, Animation, Classics, Comedy, Kids & Family, Musical & Performing Arts

In Theaters: Sep 27, 1947 Wide
On DVD: Jun 20, 2000

Critic Reviews

, TIME Magazine
The whole picture peters out and becomes as oddly off-balance and inconsequential as its title.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
While the emphasis is more on the first part than on the second part of that compound, it's okay.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A slight, but enjoyable, Disney animated feature comprised of two cartoons linked together by host Jiminy Cricket.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
If it wasn't already obvious from glancing at the studio's other work from around the same period, this would be proof enough that the steam was starting to go out of Disney's art.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
Mickey and the Beanstalk is the classic here, and worth the price of the DVD.
Keith Phipps, AV Club
Fun And Fancy Free is a mixed bag with more than enough interesting material to make it worth seeing, even if it falls short of Disney's shameless self-praise.

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Megan S

This was one of my favorites as a child, Bongo is just one of those things that has stuck in my head all these years.
Michael E

edgar bergen did one of his best roles and he is the one who interested me in becoming a ventriloquist, im not anymore, but its still fun to watch him narrate the ending parts of the movie
Bently L

A decent and enjoyable Disney film. All three segments are the BOMB!!! "They tossed him around like an old shoe."
KJ P

One of the only films that I've seen from the 40's and I believe it's incredible!
danny d

disneys ninth animated classic is one of five strait disney classics that bring together animated shorts rather than one feature length story. although the bongo story is worthwhile it is obviously the mickey and the beanstalk story that makes this a repeatable film. a classic tale.
DOCTOR P

Number 4 of the Compilation Era The animation is nice. Bongo is an ok short but nothing memorable. Mickey and the Beanstalk on the other hand is a great classic. Next up:Make Mine Music... again? Interesting note here originally some of the shorts in these… More
Number 4 of the Compilation Era The animation is nice. Bongo is an ok short but nothing memorable. Mickey and the Beanstalk on the other hand is a great classic. Next up:Make Mine Music... again? Interesting note here originally some of the shorts in these era,(These two being prime examples) were meant to be full length films but because of the war the budget was just not there.
Matthew Y

Two shorts combined to make one movie their individual quality differ drastically. The first short about Bongo the circus Bear wanting to be free in the wild only to discover life in the woods isn't all it's cracked up to be, is easily the inferior short. The better and… More
Two shorts combined to make one movie their individual quality differ drastically. The first short about Bongo the circus Bear wanting to be free in the wild only to discover life in the woods isn't all it's cracked up to be, is easily the inferior short. The better and more famous bit is of Mickey, Donald and Goofy in a retelling of the famous Jack and the Beanstalk tale. Averaged out Fun & Fancy Free is a decent film worth watching if you're an animation of Disney fanatic.
Sunil J

I really enjoyed the Mickey version of Jack and the Beanstalk!
Marion R

Mickey and the Beanstalk is so funny. One of my favorite animations, ever. it's a fun ride with your old friends, Mickey, Donald and Goofy.

Read all 9 featured audience ratings

Cast

Edgar Bergen
as Himself/Mortimer Snerd & Charlie McCarthy
Dinah Shore
as Narrator
Luana Patten
as Child

Cliff Edwards
as Jiminy Cricket
Billy Gilbert
as The Giant
Anita Gordon
as The Singing Harp

See full cast

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